Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-10-05
THE YOUNG FIRE-BUG."
A Journal Man Visits him at the Jail
And Hears a Terrible Confession of Youth
full Crime-Carmel Tramps.

There is something peculiarly melancholy
in the spectacle of youthful crime. The
public can turn from the old and hardened
criminal and say sternly ''let the law take
its course. He deserves all the punishment.
that it provides for him." But when the
offender has rot yet emerged from boyhood,
the same public will view the case with far
different emotions. The young incendiary
who is confined in the Kennebec Jail
for twice firing the buildings
of the Oak Grove Seminary at Vas
salboro, and causing one of his schoolmates
to meet horrible death by burning, is evil
IDENTIFY novice liz crime.
Journal man visited the boy at the lail
recently, and questioned him concerning
these terrible acts. The boy was found seated
in his cell. He said he was Is years old, and
appeared to be even younger. He was neatly
dressed in dark suit, moccasin slippers, and
navy blue felt hat, which he wore pulled
down closely over his eyes. 1t was evidently
terrible situation for the boy. The cold
stone walls around him, the heavy iron bars.
the reckless and abandoned faces of his fellow
prisoners, and the awful sense of being in
Jail was an experience that filled him with
dread and despair. He was not bad looking
boy, nor one who would be picked out az
having vicious disposition. He was seated
On one of the beds in large double cell, ner-
al nm thar IS,
was evident that his mind was not upon the
reading, for when asked what publication it
was he was obliged to look up the name be-
fore he could answer.
"You set both of the fires at Oak Grove
Seminary, did your" asked the reporter.
eyes"
"Were you alone in the work."
mo"
"Then someone put you up to it."
Eyes"
Was it another boy or man."
at was man."
"Did he live near the buildings?"
''Well he didn't live great ways from
there l don't want to tell on him though only
to one man. When | see that man | shall
tell him the whole story"
"Was your accomplice with you when you
set the fires?"
"He was at one"
(Which one was that 2"
1.-THE first one."
"And how about the second one 2"
81 did that alone. Everything was pre-
pared for me though at both fires"
"Were you promised anything for your
work p
"Well, partially so"
"Was the story which you told first true ?"
hat 7 al
"Why did you say that?
II was threatened if | told on the other
party"
GLOW do you know that he hasn't told on
you p
81 think he must have"
"Didn't you know when you set those fires
that it was a terrible crime ?"
mot then, do now though"
"Didn't you think you would be caught?"
II didn't think anything about it,"
"Do you expect your folks here?"
ayes, think they will come today"
CATER you set the first fire, you say you
went to bed?"
eyes"
"And went sound to sleep?"
eyes"
Didn't YOU think you might be burned
up?"
- ulun MINK anything ABOUT III.
You lost everything you had did your"
Yes, everything"
1t is this part of the boys confession that
becomes palpably absurd. That small
boy full of the nervous fear and conscious
guilt of first great crime could coolly and de-
liberately lie down and sleep in what he knew
might be his funeral pyre, is a story no one
Will credit.
As the reporter was preparing to
leave he took look at the three Carmel
re-bugs, "Slim" Swift" and "Irish."
Jail life has not appeared to disagree with
them. They were doing some tailor work
for themselves and were evidently determined
not to permit the ills of life to worry them.
"Slim" is great reader, a fellow of con-
siderable intelligence, and a good tslker, but
his room mate, Irish" is as brutal and
phlegmatic specimen as could well be found
in years searching. This is season of
incendiarism, and the outcome of it will in
all probability not only swell the forces at
Thomaston, but will present grave question
of public safety from the tramp nuisance, to
be acted upon at the next legislature.